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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free

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Only one thing beats getting a good price on something, and that’s getting it for free. Our list of freebies is packed with 70 something-for-nothing deals. We don’t allow any useless junk on our list—only quality goods and services that you would happily pay good money for (perhaps you're already doing so). From free food to free investing and financial services to free technology and entertainment, we have something here for everyone.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 2 of 71

Free Podcasts

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Whether you are a fan of true-crime, comedy, or personal finance podcasts, there are apps and websites that help you avoid subscription and download fees so you can tune in to your favorite episodes while you’re at work, in the library, or tackling a home repair project on the weekend. Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify let you listen to unlimited podcast episodes without paying. You can listen online, or install their free apps to listen on-the-go.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 3 of 71

Free Music Lessons

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Have you always wanted to learn an instrument or are you itching to revisit your glory days of playing the drums in your best friend’s garage? Those dreams can become a reality with free websites and apps that help you beat the often steep prices of private music lessons and recording and editing software. Violin Lab, Hoffman Academy and Drum Ambition offer free tutorials and practice sheet music to beginning learners. MusicTheory.net offers free lessons on music theory for those looking for a more advanced understanding, and MuseScore is a free, open source site for composing and notating sheet music.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 4 of 71

Free Credit Freezes

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Congress just passed a law that will prohibit the three big credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—from charging a fee to place or lift a credit freeze. The free freezes will be available throughout the country this fall; the credit bureaus have until September 21, 2018, to implement the new law. A credit freeze prevents new creditors from reviewing your credit report, making it harder for identity thieves to take out credit in your name.

Until the new law goes into effect, the cost to freeze your credit record varies by state. In many states, each credit bureau charges $5 to $10 to freeze your credit record and may charge a similar fee to lift the freeze if you're applying for a loan. (To hinder ID thieves, you need to freeze your record at all three credit bureaus.)

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Go to www.equifax.com, www.experian.com and www.transunion.com to initiate the freeze and find out more about the cost and procedures. Equifax, which experienced a massive data breach last year, is offering free freezes for all consumers until June 30.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 5 of 71

Free Counseling

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Sometimes you just need somebody to talk to. The website 7 Cups provides free counseling and listening services to those in need. The site (and its corresponding app) is based around an instant messaging model where you can either volunteer as a listener or message confidentially with a volunteer. The site does have a premium version where you can chat with licensed therapists, but it’s designed to be an initial step for those seeking help.

Similar to 7 Cups, Blah Therapy offers a premium version where you pay a monthly subscription fee to message a licensed therapist. However, it also has a completely free version that connects you with a trained listener who most likely has also been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Reachout, while not designed to take the place of in-person therapy, is a network of people diagnosed with chronic illnesses that provide peer counseling to each other.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 6 of 71

Free Smoke Detectors

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According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in houses that don’t have properly working smoke detectors. In January 2018, Maryland passed a law requiring all residents to have a working smoke detector installed, and Virginia lawmakers have now made it legal for localities to implement similar policies. If you’re a resident of one of these states – or you just want to save $15 when replacing or installing a smoke detector – check out organizations near you that provide free smoke detectors, free installation, and free battery replacement services.

Several local fire departments offer free smoke detectors, and will even come to your house to install them. For example, residents of Baltimore City can call the fire department’s non-emergency number to request a free smoke detector. Through its Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross provides free smoke detectors to residents of 12 states. You can submit your request through GetASmokeAlarm.org.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 7 of 71

Free Stock Trades

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The 4 million customers of online and mobile brokerage Robinhood don’t receive the investment research or portfolio tools offered by more-established brokerages. And no, the brokerage’s app doesn’t let you steal from the rich to give to the poor. But Robinhood does offer no-commission and no-fee trades for all U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs. (Broker-assisted phone trades cost $10; foreign-listed securities cost $50 per trade.) There’s also a free options trading service and, in some states, cryptocurrency trading. (Robinhood’s revenue comes from selling premium subscriptions that allow after-hours trading and margin trades.) There’s no minimum to invest. Just sign up, link your bank account and enjoy the savings.

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Also, check with more-traditional online brokers such as Fidelity or Charles Schwab to see if they are offering any promotions.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 8 of 71

Free Resources for Income Investors

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You can find millions of pages of free information online, but how many of them enable you to reap a tangible benefit? Consider our favorite free sources for reasoned discussion and hard-to-find financial data for income investors. For example, the Closed-End Fund Association has a tool for sorting and screening more than 600 closed-end funds. InvestinginBonds.com offers real-time market data on bond trading action and prices. Screen the tax-free bond universe for top yields with the Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) system. And, get monthly updates by sector (such as the High Yield and Mortgage Market updates) from TCW.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 9 of 71

Free ETF Trades

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The less you pay in investing fees, the more you have to actually invest—and grow with the magic of compounding. So it really pays to focus on trading commission-free exchange-traded funds. Most online brokers offer a host of commission-free ETFs, and Vanguard offers the most with roughly 1,800 funds, including names from iShares and State Street.

Fidelity currently offers 95 commission-free ETFs, while Charles Schwab offers more than 200 ETFs with no commission. TD Ameritrade, meanwhile, offers more than 300 ETFs without a commission.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 10 of 71

Free Samples

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You can score everything from small tubes of toothpaste, bottles of shampoo, mouthwash and deodorant to books, magazines, food and clothing. One of the easiest ways to find free samples and products is to visit blogs and websites that cull freebie offers from a variety of sources, such as I Love Free Things and FreeSamples.org. Manufacturers such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury and Procter & Gamble regularly offer a limited supply of samples and full-sized products in exchange for subscribing to email newsletters. (Beware offers that require you to pay for shipping.)

Signing up for rewards programs is another easy way to get free samples delivered to your door. For those with a sweet tooth, joining Godiva’s rewards program gets you free chocolate every month as well as free shipping on online purchases. And follow your favorite brands, companies or retailers on Facebook and Twitter to hear about freebies first-hand.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 11 of 71

Free Perks for Your Pooch

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Caring for Fido can be expensive, but there are plenty of free goods and services dog owners should take advantage of to save money. Dog-lovers can subscribe to BringFido’s weekly emails to receive free samples for treats, food, and dog shampoo. Additionally, some restaurants offer free treats to dogs during happy hour. And some hotels, such as Red Roof Inns and the Kimpton hotels, don’t charge extra for pets. For more, see Freebies for Your Dog.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 12 of 71

Free Eye Care

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EyeCare America, which is a public service program of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides free eye exams and up to one year of care for any disease diagnosed during that exam for those without private insurance who are 65 and older and haven’t seen an eye doctor in three or more years. Visit EyeCareAmerica.org for program guidelines and to see if you qualify.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 13 of 71

Free Preventive Care

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As part of the Affordable Care Act, most health plans now must provide a variety of preventive-care benefits free -- even if you haven’t met your plan's deductible for the year. Among the benefits that are fully covered: screenings for high blood pressure, mammograms for women older than 40 and routine vaccinations for children, as well as a long list of other tests and services. See the preventive-care page at Healthcare.gov for a full list of these preventive services and eligibility requirements.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 14 of 71

Free Rx Drugs

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Several supermarket pharmacies offer free prescriptions. For example, at Meijer Pharmacies, you can get a 14-day supply of Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, SMZ-TMP and other select antibiotics for free with a doctor's prescription, regardless of what insurance you have. At PriceChopper, you can access free diabetes medication and supplies through the store's Diabetes AdvantEdge Plan. And Publix's Free Medication Program offers both select antibiotics and diabetes medication (Metformin), as well as Amlodipine and Lisinopril for high blood pressure, at no cost. You might need to enroll in a pharmacy loyalty program to receive the free drugs.

Pharmaceutical companies also offer free and low-cost drugs to low-income people without prescription-drug insurance. You can use the RxAssist database to find free medication through drug companies' patient assistance programs.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 15 of 71

Free Diet and Fitness Help

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Need help sticking to a diet and exercise plan? Turn to apps such as MyFitnessPal.com, Sworkit, Nike+ Run Club and Runkeeper for free meal plans and calorie counters, plans to track your progress, and for help mapping out runs and designing daily workouts. While these apps offer premium subscriptions, they all have free versions for Apple and Android phones.

You might also get free diet and fitness help from your employer; ask if your workplace has a wellness plan. These programs may include free gym access, weight-loss support groups and smoking cessation programs. Some will even pay you for your progress.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 16 of 71

Free Wellness Classes

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You may be able to find free fitness and wellness classes taught by experts in your area. For instance, certain Lululemon Athletica stores offer free yoga classes weekly. Many communities also host free workouts in public parks, libraries or community centers.

Want to try meditation? Centers often offer free introductory classes. Shambhala meditation centers located across the country offer free “learn to meditate” classes. We also found free intro classes at Zen meditation centers in Houston, Des Moines, Cambridge, Mass., and other locales.

You can try surfing the web for free workouts, too. YouTube hosts a multitude of instructional videos for yoga, Pilates, Zumba and other fitness practices.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 17 of 71

Free Park Entry

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Our national parks boast beautiful scenery, and you can take in the sights without paying a dime at some, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway. Plus, on several days throughout the year, you can get in free to all national parks that usually charge admission. Here’s the free-admission schedule.

Several state park systems—among them Maryland, New Hampshire, New York and Texas—offer older adults free admission or free annual passes. (Some passes require a small processing fee.)

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 18 of 71

Free Museum Visits

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Many top-notch museums, galleries and zoos offer free admission year-round, including the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., the Getty Center in Los Angeles and Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Others, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, let you in for free on certain days of the week or month.

Bank of America cardholders can gain free admission to more than200 museums on the first full weekend of every month.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 19 of 71

Free Concerts and Performances

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A great way to see performances for free is to volunteer as an usher at a local theater. Call the theater manager to find out how to sign up.

If you can’t commit to a long-term volunteer gig, take advantage of the occasional free concerts that some performing arts centers hold. For example, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., hosts a free concert every evening. (And for those of you outside the beltway, many of the concerts are viewable online.) Communities across the country have free lunchtime and evening concerts in the park during summer months. Check the websites of your local government or downtown development district for details.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 21 of 71

Free Fishing

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Grab your pole and hang a "Gone Fishin’" sign on the door. Most states have select days when you can fish for free without a license, saving you about $7 to $30, depending on your location. You’ll find a list of states and dates at TakeMeFishing.org, or check with your local fish and wildlife agency for details.

Many locales let kids fish for free year-round. The age cutoff varies by state but is usually in the teens.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 22 of 71

Free Hobbies

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Want to learn something new in your spare time? Many local retailers offer free workshops. For instance, you can improve your culinary skills at Williams-Sonoma’s free technique classes (some classes charge a small fee or require a purchase). At REI, you can take free clinics on bike maintenance, backpacking, camp cooking and more (you may have to pay for certain classes, and more if you’re not an REI member). Apple, Home Depot, A.C. Moore and Michaels stores also offer free classes for adults and kids.

Check your local library, too. We’ve seen hands-on workshops for computers, chess, knitting and more. Or check out a book or DVD on a topic that interests you, such as origami, pilates or international cooking.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 23 of 71

Free Movies and TV

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Cable and streaming-content subscriptions can add up. Watch free movies and TV series online at SonyCrackle.com or head to the TV networks’ websites. You can also test out Hulu.com and Netflix for a month before they start charging your card; just don’t forget to cancel before the trial period ends.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 25 of 71

Free Audiobooks

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If listening to stories is more your speed, download free audiobooks legally from Digitalbook and Loyal Books. (Both sites also offer free ebooks.) The sites offer up classic books with expired copyrights, including works from Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe, Ayn Rand and other renowned authors. They also have children’s titles, such as The Three Little Pigs and The Secret Garden.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 26 of 71

Free Music

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Get your groove on with music streaming services, such as Pandora, iHeartRadio and Spotify. All three offer free versions, as well as premium subscriptions. You can listen online or install their handy apps for on-the-go access.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 27 of 71

Free College

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You don’t have to earn a four-year scholarship to get a free ride at college.

For example, Berea College, in Berea, Ky., provides all students a four-year tuition scholarship that amounts to nearly $100,000. Alice Lloyd College — another Kentucky school — doesn’t require students from a 108-county area in Central Appalachia to pay tuition, but it does require students to work at least ten hours a week to offset the cost of their education. College of the Ozarks in Missouri also requires students to participate in a work program rather than pay tuition. The City College of San Francisco recently started offering free tuition for city residents. And New York is the first state to make attending its public colleges free for residents with incomes of less than $125,000 a year.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 28 of 71

Free Grad School

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If you want to get an advanced degree, your employer might help you pay for it. According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2015 report on employee benefits, 52% of the companies surveyed reported offering graduate educational assistance (56% offer undergraduate assistance). On average, employers offer a maximum reimbursement of about $4,500 for tuition and education expenses.

Typically, employers that help employees pay for grad school require that they maintain a certain grade level and remain employed with the company for a period of time after completing a degree program.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 29 of 71

Free Classes

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Many colleges and universities, including all eight Ivy League schools, offer free, open, online courses—without the rigorous admissions standards. You can search through hundreds of course offerings on sites such as Saylor.org, Coursera and Class Central. You can even get official credits and certifications for certain programs.

And more-seasoned knowledge-seekers can even enjoy free courses offline. Many accredited, degree-granting institutions offer tuition waivers for older adults to earn credit or audit classes. In fact, several states have laws requiring state-supported institutes of higher learning to waive tuition for older residents (usually age 60 or 65 and older). For example several Kentucky institutions, including the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, waive the tuition and fees for anyone 65 or older. Ohio residents age 60 and older can audit classes for free as part of Kent State University’s Senior Guest Program.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 30 of 71

Free Computer Classes

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Brush up on your computer skills at your public library, which may offer a variety of free computer and technology classes. Some common courses include Internet and email basics, spreadsheet and word processing, digital photography and image editing and family history research. For instance, New Yorkers looking for free tech guidance can attend the New York Public Library’s TechConnect program, which offers more than 80 tech classes at the library’s branches across the city.

If you’re looking to add a few new skills to your resume to keep up with the tech wave, Khan Academy, Udemy, Codecademy and Coursera offer free classes in programming languages, data science, and other STEM subjects. Note that some websites also charge money for premium classes, but all have extensive libraries of courses for free.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 31 of 71

Free Language Lessons

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Whether you want to learn a new language to boost your résumé or prepare for a trip to a foreign country, you can take free lessons online. Go to Open Culture for a list of lessons around the Web. Duolingo offers game-based lessons online and on their popular app in languages including Spanish, Welsh, Hebrew and even Klingon.

Your public library may also offer courses or software to help you learn a few key phrases or even become proficient in another language.

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70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free | Slide 32 of 71

Free Resume Help

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Whether you’re applying for an internship, searching for your first job out of college or polishing a seasoned résumé, you can get free help with your job hunt. Stop by a One Stop Career Center (a service provided by the U.S. Department of Labor) in your area. Trained staff can help you with résumé writing, interviewing skills and online job searching techniques. The centers also offer job training programs, or they can arrange on-the-job training and apprenticeships with local employers.

You can also watch for workshops at your local library, community center or college.